Locals to protest land development by Cheat Aphiwat Co. Ltd in Banteay Mean Chey and Oddar Mean Chey provinceson 2 February 2012

Human Rights Networks Media Alert – Phnom Penh, 1 February 2012

Locals to protest land development by Cheat Aphiwat Co. Ltd in Banteay Mean Chey and Oddar Mean Chey provinceson 2 February 2012

On Thursday 2 February 2012, over 200 people will gather to protest continued land development by Cheat Aphiwat Co. Ltd (the "Company"), a development company granted an economic land concession by the Royal Government of Cambodia (the "RGC") in Thma Puok district​​, Banteay Mean Chey province and Banteay Ampil district, Odddar Mean Chey province. The protest will take place to the south of Thlok village, close to where the land development is occurring. Those affected are from Thlok, KbalTonsorng, BanteayChhma,and KokSamrong villages, BanteayChhma commune, Thma Pouk district, Banteay Mean Chey province and PrasatRomdoul ,RomdoulChass and RomdoulThmey villages, Apil commune, BanteayAmpil district, Oddar Mean Chey province.

On 22 January 2012 BanteayMenchey provincial deputy governor, Ream Sarin, has previously stated that the RGC granted 6,000 hectares of land in the Banteay Mean Chey and Oddar Mean Chey provinces​ to the Company in order to establish agro-industry in the area, which has negatively impacted over 4,600 hectares of land in Banteay Chhmar commune, Thma Puok district, Banteay Mean Chey province and affected the 799 families in Banteay Chhmar commune, Thma Puok district, Banteay Mean Chey province and in Ampil commune, Banteay Ampil district, Odddar Mean Chey province who have farmed there since 1993.

On 13 June 2011, the Company started constructing buildings and bulldozing the villagers’ rice fields in Thlok, BanteayChhmar commune, ThmaPuok district. On 28 November 2011, around 200 villagers sought help from the BanteayChhmar commune. At a meeting with commune officials, villagers asked the District Governor, Blek Vary, to stop the bulldozing but were unsuccessful. On 19 December 2011, four community representatives – SanhVanna, SkuonYous, Khun Thom and Mai Meurt – were called to appear before police in ThmaPuok district to explain the dispute, according to SanhVanna, a land activist who is affiliated with the Cambodian Center for Human Rights ("CCHR").

In an interview with Voice of Democracy on 19 December 2011, ThmaPuok District Inspector, Yort Ray, said that the Company sought to develop the area because of its fertility and that the four representatives called to the police station were told that the affected villagers must use non-violent means during their protest. The police advised the representatives that, if the villagers wished to lodge an official complaint, they should do so by providing the thumbprints of all those who wished to do so.

However, on 12 January 2012, in a meeting in Thlok village, the District Governor promised to order the Company to compensate the people if the Company damaged the villagers’ land. So far, this has not happened. On 22 January 2012, the Provincial Deputy Governor, Ream Sarin, visited the land but was unable to secure a resolution. Therefore, the villagers have stated that they will protest until this dispute can be settled.

For further information, please contact:

- Mr PovSopheap, land activist of Thlok village, BanteayChhma commune, ThmaPuok district, Banteay Mean Chey province at 088 778 0003 /078 231 533

-Mr Ream Sarin, Banteay Mean Chey provincial deputy governor at 012 418 418

- MrBlek Vary, ThmaPuokdistric governor, Banteay Mean Chey province at 012 939 587

- Mr Vann Sophtah, CCHR Project Coordinator of Human Rights Network at 012 941 206 or e-mail vann.sophath@cchrcambodia.org